The Light to Her Darkness
by hayleynymphadora
Summary: Storybrooke Maine is full of close-minded people, so all hate Mayor Cora Mills and her daughter, Regina. All but one particular 17 year old, Emma Swan. If only her group of friends thought the same way. Regina writes in her journal daily to understand her feelings about this girl, and to control her secret magic. Emma admires Regina from afar. Hook doesn't like it. SwanQueen.
1. Chapter 1

**Yes, I'm trying out a new story.**

 **I might not really be in the position to do that right now, but my muse was biting at me and I wasn't about to ignore it. I'm missing Once Upon A Time like MAD now that it's on such a hiatus and am frustrated that I may be missing the season premiere due to a trip to Ohio.**

 **That being said, although I have other Once stories I could probably be working on, this story decided to pop into my head and demand to be written down.**

 **Know ahead of time that all of this being said, yes, I have a thousand other stories to work on so updates will likely not be regular. I work on each of my stories as my muse sees fit. Just know that I have a "no story left behind" policy, so no matter how long a break between updates is...the stories will be finished, this one included.**

 **I decided to title this story: The Light to Her Darkness for reasons you'll probably understand even after this first chapter.**

 **Let me know what you think, okay? Constructive criticism and other reviews accepted, unnecessary hate ignored.**

 **Love always, Hayley**

 **Chapter 1:**

A 17 year old Regina Mills sat cross legged on the hill under the Toll Bridge, (or, what most people in town decked it as, the Troll Bridge) in Storybrooke, Maine. The water from the creek flowed calmly beside her, but Regina felt anything but calm. She felt fury, she felt confusion, and she felt…aroused. Intrigued. Amused. Smitten.

And it was all because of a special someone that had been flooding her thoughts for months and months now.

She knew she had to write about it, else her emotions would get the best of her again and she would lose control of her magic once more. Her magic that she was not yet so able to contain. Crazy things happened around her when she couldn't get a grip on her feelings. Her mother had yet to properly train her how to deal with things like this.

With a small sigh and a ton of thoughts running through her head, Regina glanced down at her journal and began to write in a fine, neat calligraphy,

 _That damned Emma Swan is at it again with her stupid Pirate boyfriend, the thief, and the liar. I've had it up to here with their nonsense. Why does she hang around with such a crowd? They simply aren't right for her…not that anybody would argue that I'd be much better, I suppose. I'm a disaster just waiting to happen…_

 _I just don't understand what I ever did to make them hate me so much. Is it because I'm the daughter of the infamous, evil Cora? Do they know that I'm not like my mother at all?_

 _Of course they don't…they've never bothered to try to get to know me. They've stereotyped me for the cruel things that she does since day one…everyone except for Emma…and though I will admit I can sometimes be just as terrible as my mother is…I'm not evil._

 _I'm not, even if they may think of me in that way._

 _…_ _.There are many different forms of evil in this world. Thievery, and dishonesty are among them, but you don't see Miss Swan noticing me for a change, instead of her usual crowd._

 _Actually…notice might not be the right word. I know she notices me. She and her parents and everybody else in this god forsaken town. Maybe the problem is that they notice me too much. Because I'm the daughter of Mayor Mills….and everybody hates cruel, evil Mayor Mills._

 _It doesn't help that mother has once again been sneaking around with Mr. Gold, the other most hated person here._

 _I suppose I'm just going to have to face the fact that Emma will never want me._

 _In any way, shape, or form._

 _Not as my girlfriend…and not even as my friend._

 _The only person I have is Daniel, and sometimes I wonder if I even have him._

Hearing the branch of a tree snap, Regina flicked her head around and slammed her journal shut, nervously, her heart pounding. If anyone found out about her love for Emma Swan…and heaven forbid it be her mother who did so.

She stood and brushed off her clothing before starting to walk back up the side of the hill and over the "Troll" Bridge. But before she could make it very far, trouble was brewing directly in front of her. Trouble in the form of Neal Cassidy, Killian Jones, and August Booth…followed closely behind by one Miss Emma Swan. Regina dry swallowed and stood up, back straightened. She would not let them win.

"Is that a diary I see?" Killian jested her, scrunching his nose. "A bit old to be spilling your deepest secrets to books, aren't we, Regina?"

Regina couldn't keep her eyes off of Emma, even though she tried her damndest to. The girl was stunning, as usual, without even attempting to be. Long, gorgeous blonde hair that was windswept today from the crisp autumn breeze, jeans that hugged her toned legs in all the right places, her usual pair of comfy combat boots, and her signature red leather jacket. The top of her head was covered by a white knit hat, no doubt made for her by her mother, Mary Margaret. She wore a soft smile as she looked at Regina, which started to fade once Killian opened his mouth to taunt the girl. Emma loved Killian to death…sometimes…but couldn't he just learn to leave the Mills alone?

"A bit old for this childish banter as well, Killian, yet here we stand." Was Regina's cold, dry retort as she pulled her gaze away from Emma. _You will not do this today._ She chastised herself. _Pull yourself together, Gina, or forever suffer the consequences. Emma could never want you. There are so many reasons why Emma doesn't want you. Stop staring at her, for god's sake…_

She dragged her gaze back towards Killian, that mental wall building itself up. She stood firm, her gaze strong—something she learned from her dear mother.

Emma dragged her eyes over Regina as well, but was much less subtle about it. August shot Emma a warning glance—he, Neal, and Ruby Lucas were the only ones who knew about Emma's secret crush on the girl and didn't want Emma giving herself away. Double blinking, Emma stopped staring and turned her attention to Killian, clearing her throat.

"Do we have to do this today?" she asked, clearly annoyed. "Just leave her alone, Killian. This isn't why we came here…"

"Why should I leave her be?" Killian scoffed. "Suddenly you're a supporter of the "Evil Queen"?"

Regina double blinked at the comment, unsure if he was referring to her mother as an evil queen, or to herself. She was completely unaware of the nicknames the group of seventeen year olds had come up with for everyone in the town. August was into fairy tales and had an active imagination. If only he knew that there were in fact magical forces within this town…forces that would make his toes curl. Yet another one of Regina's dark secrets.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked of Killian, her heart pounding. She was sure he had no idea of her powers, but all the same…

He laughed a deep, condescending laugh. "Never you mind. You wouldn't understand, love, it'd go right over your head."

"Killian," Emma spoke up again in warning. "Seriously, back off…" but she went ignored. August and Neal exchanged an irritated glance. Killian could just never give up the chance to taunt Regina Mills, no matter how much the girl kept to herself. Neal secretly wondered if Killian could feel the building loving tension between the two girls and was getting irrationally jealous. But he wouldn't dare question it, out of respect for Emma's privacy.

"That's big talk coming from a guy who can hardly understand High School arithmetic." Regina shot back, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to get to. I'm already running late…"

She tried to push past Killian. Tried to ignore the burning at the back of her eyes that told her that her emotions were getting the best of her once more. Tried her best not to make eye contact with Emma, who was watching her like a sad puppy.

Killian stepped in front of Regina before she could go anywhere and she let out a tired sigh.

"Watch yourself, Mills. Or you might just find out what I'm really capable of." His voice was low and menacing but Regina scoffed, unafraid. Did he forget who raised her?

"Perhaps you'd like to get a step stool, dear, so you can look into my eyes while you threaten me?" she ridiculed, pushing past him and making her way, her pace quick but not running, back to Mifflin Manor. For he had no idea what _she_ was capable of, and was worried that if he made her much more upset he would soon find out. Besides…Her mother would be waiting for her to join her for dinner.

Emma watched as Regina stormed off, leaving Killian red faced and irritable. Emma didn't care that he was mad—she was angry too. She walked up to him and punched him in the arm, making him grunt in pain.

"What the hell is your problem?!" She demanded. She couldn't for the life of her understand his hatred for the girl, no matter how often she tried to. Her eyes searched his face, confused.

Emma herself happened to find Regina particularly interesting. There was something about this girl that excited her. Perhaps it was the mystery. But anytime Emma got anywhere near trying to get Regina alone…something like this happened.

"What has Regina ever done to you?"

Killian scoffed. "Existing was bad enough, don't you think, love?"

That was the final straw—Emma rolled her eyes. "Grow up, Killian." She growled, taking August and Neal by the arms and walking away from her supposed "boyfriend". The guy she'd been on again off again with for the past three years now. It was growing tiring, pretending to love him as much as he loved her. She wanted a change, but felt too cowardly to go for the one person her heart truly desired.

Of course if she wanted to be less daring she knew she could always turn to Neal and he would welcome her in with open arms. He'd always pined after her and they had even been together once, for a short while. Then again, Neal knew about her interest in Regina, so that probably wouldn't work anymore.

August was the only one in her group with no romantic interest in her whatsoever, besides of course Ruby and Lacey. That was why August was her favorite male friend.

"Why didn't you help me defend her back there?" she demanded of Neal and August as they walked deeper into the woods.

August shrugged. "I didn't really think she needed defending—she was doing pretty well on her own. Don't forget who her mother is."

Emma sighed. "How could I…" she muttered, wishing people would stop being so quick to judge Regina based on who her mother was. She was also wishing that Ruby was out of work so she would have someone who wasn't a male to talk to. But Ruby wasn't as close to her as August was—Ruby was better friends with Lacey than anybody else in town.

"Why do you like her so much?" Neal asked softly. It was a genuine question, he wasn't goading and Emma knew that. She let out a long, slow, shaky breath.

"I don't know." She whispered, and then let out a soft sigh. She had yet to even try to process these feelings that had cropped up in the past month or so…and had yet to act on them, too. "I'm gonna go home, guys." She decided after a pause. "I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

"Okay..." August often worried about Emma, but knew that if she wanted to talk about it tonight she'd climb through his bedroom window and do so. "See ya, Swan."

"Bye, Emma..." Neal said softly. They watched as the troubled girl made her way back towards the apartment that she and her parents lived in.

On the way she found herself daydreaming about the daughter of the "Queen of Hearts"-the daughter that Killian called "The Evil Queen".

 _She doesn't deserve a nickname like that,_ Emma thought to herself _. I mean, Regina is tough. She's strict, stuck up, and kind of bossy...but that doesn't make her evil. She's just...misunderstood. Nobody even really knows her besides that boy she hangs around with…Daniel._ As cliché as Emma knew that sounded, she also knew she'd never get the boys to understand that.

They wouldn't see how fragile Regina actually was. How sweet and precious and loving she had the potential to be. Emma could tell that Regina didn't want to be anything like her mother. If only everyone else would see that, too.

She made it home with reddened cheeks from the cold and the moment she stepped into the doorway, her mom noticed that.

"Getting pretty chilly out there, huh?" She asked, joyful as she always seemed to be.

Emma nodded in response. Mary Margaret's optimism was always so refreshing.

"Cinnamon hot cocoa?" Mary Margaret suggested. Emma nodded again and her mother put the kettle on to heat the water.

She watched her daughter carefully. Emma, who was sitting up at the counter, staring down at her hands and moving her feet in circles, contemplating.

"...something on your mind?" Mary Margaret finally asked after mixing the hot cocoa into the hot water, dolloping whipped cream and cinnamon on top, and setting it down on the countertop in front of Emma. "I'm always here if you want to talk, you know."

Emma shook her head, still in thought. She wanted to go and talk to Regina herself...apologize for her boyfriend's behavior. But would Regina even give her the time of day? After everything she's let Killian say and do to Regina? After all of the taunting and miscommunication? How would she even get the girl alone? She thought for another moment and realized she didn't think she'd ever actually spoken to Regina alone. Would this be something she'd be able to do, or would she crumble under pressure and nerves and essentially belly flop? Her accidental embarrassment of herself was legendary in this town to say the least.

Emma let out an audible sigh, officially stumped.

Mary Margaret could tell something was seriously wrong. She decided that if Emma wasn't going to tell her, she would try to guess. Sometimes Emma needed a little push to get her to communicate. She wasn't always great about talking about her feelings.

Mary Margret sat down and started to drink her own hot cocoa and cinnamon. "...does this have something to do with Killian?" She wondered.

Emma glanced up at her mother. She wasn't wrong, not really. She took in another breath, questioning whether or not she would just tell her mother everything. Emma was even closer to her mother than she was to August, despite this one kept secret.

She would start slow, she decided, and see how Mary Margaret handled each little detail. She wasn't going to out her feelings about Regina right away—not when she didn't understand them herself.

"I think I'm going to break up with Killian." Emma said the first part of her dilemma, drinking more of her cocoa. Her mother did the same and then spoke up,

"Again?" she wondered why. "What has he done this time?"

They'd broken up at least 5 times in the past for numerous different reasons. Too clingy, too similar and causing disagreements, too repetitive…

"He's rude as hell." Emma scoffed. "To everyone but me. Especially to Regina Mills. And he doesn't know anything about her. I don't like the way he treats people. I can't believe I never noticed it before…It's not okay. He's been acting so stuck up and arrogant recently...he's just being a jerk." She wasn't exactly sure how to explain just how rude he was. Today certainly wasn't the first time running into Regina like that, nor was it the worst. She was surprised things hadn't gotten physical. She gulped. Yet.

After finishing her little rant, she watched Mary Margaret's face to see if she was understanding any of this. Emma was so tired of Killian's antics...and they weren't fair to anyone, particularly not Regina.

"Well, I'm glad that you're starting to stick up for yourself and for others, Emma." Mary Margaret said. "Killian isn't being very rational and it's going to come back and bite him sooner or later. You don't need that sort of negativity in your life."

Emma nodded in silent agreement.

"But..." Emma spoke up. "Being with Killian is..." She couldn't think of the right word, luckily her mother had it for her.

"Comfortable. You're used to it, honey, you've been like this with him for years and you're afraid of this comfort going away. But sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zones in order to have the life we truly desire. You know that."

"Yeah." Emma whispered. "But I don't want to lose him again…especially if it means maybe losing him forever, I mean…He's one of my best friends." She admitted, knowing that if he found out who she really had her sights on, he wouldn't ever take her back. His opinions about almost everything were biased and cruel. His mind was anything but open, in the case of Emma…he wanted her all to himself.

"Oh, sweetheart." Mary Margaret caressed her daughter's face softy and placed a kiss to her temple. "You still have August and Neal and Ruby and Lacey...and you'll always have me and your father."

Nodding, Emma let out a sigh. "I know. He's turned into a real jackass. Regina doesn't deserve all of that, even if she is the Mayor's daughter...I mean kids aren't their parents..."

"I'm glad that you understand that, Emma." Mary Margaret said sincerely, so very proud of her daughter's compassion. "Because a lot of people don't and you're right, they treat Regina terribly because of it. But that poor girl has had it rough, especially since her father's death. It is clear that the two of them were very close. I think what Regina needs now is a true friend."

Emma dry swallowed, her heart thumping. If only it were that easy. And if only friendship were the only thing on Emma's mind.

She found it slightly strange that her mother was speaking so kindly of Regina. She knew that her mom and Cora had a troublesome past. But she also knew that her mom tried her best to be kind to everybody regardless.

A silence passed between them where Emma fumbled with the tips of her blonde hair after which Mary Margaret spoke up, "You should go and try to talk to her, Emma. You never know what might happen if you do..." The mother had the sense that this conversation was deeper than Emma was letting on, but was waiting for Emma to say so. Mary Margaret knew all too well what happened when assumptions were made, and it was Emma's story to tell.

Emma was terrified of what might happen if she _did_ go and talk to Regina, even though at this point she knew it was something she was going to have to do.

Mary Margaret might be kind and accepting of Regina despite who her mother was, but Cora would not be so unprejudiced. Nor would Killian.

After finishing her cocoa, she kissed her mother goodnight and shuffled to her bedroom, glancing out the window and across the yard towards August's house. On any other night she would sneak out and climb through his bedroom window so they could talk.

Tonight, however, she knew she needed to figure herself out and get herself together. She had some things she needed to take care of the next day.

. . .

Regina sat in her bedroom, staring down at her journal. She had school in the morning and dreaded running into the foursome that made her life so frustrating...except for Emma.

No, Regina could tell she was different than the others. She wanted to be nice, and she tried to stop them from being unfair. At least she tried to understand.

She was like...white light that distracted Regina from the darkness that always seemed to surround her.

She was beauty, kindness, and happiness...everything that Regina had always wanted.

And everything that Regina knew she could never have.


	2. Chapter 2

**I may or may not be writing chapter 4 before I actually write chapter 3, so there may be a slight delay for the next chapter...sometimes you have to jump ahead before you can go back.**

 **I actually find this to be an excellent strategy while writing essays, too! If you write the essay first and then go back and write the intro, it can sometimes be easier to get through.**

 **Just some food for thought.**

 **That being said, here is chapter two. :) Let me know what you think, okay?**

 **Love always, Hayley**

 **Chapter 2:**

"Regina!" Cora called up the stairs.

The girl jumped, startled and woken from her dreams. In her sleep she saw Emma, and nothing but Emma—the light to cure her darkness. But that's all she saw—dreams. And she knew with displeasure that it would never be her reality.

She sat up and stretched, letting out a soft yawn behind her hand. She reached under her pillow for that was where she kept her journal.

"Regina Cora Mills!" she heard her mother yell again.

"I'm awake, mother!" she called back.

"Don't you dare use that tone of voice with me, young lady!" Was the response she heard.

"I'm sorry, mother!"

"You're going to be late!" Cora was relentless.

Regina crossed her legs in front of her and laid her journal open in her lap, glancing over at the clock on her wall. She scoffed to herself. _Late to being early. I'll still get there before everyone else, and I'll have time to spare._

"I'll be alright. I still need to shower and dress…I'll be down in a bit…"

"Hurry up, dear." She could practically hear the disappointment in her mother's voice. Gods, did she miss her father.

She let out another sigh and looked down to start to write, before a window shattered because of her magic going off the deep end again or something of that nature.

 _I know I probably shouldn't want this as much as I do. These thoughts and feelings I have for Emma Swan….I hate that I feel this way and to mother I'm sure they would seem more than unnatural. But I also wish I could just say something to Emma—tell her how I feel—get this rejection over with faster._

 _Daddy would understand._

 _Daniel sort of gets it. But mother has basically chased him away by now. She disapproves of him and he's too much of a coward to speak to me behind her back, as I learned so harshly last night. I tried to talk to him and he was sympathetic for a while, until he wimped out claiming he didn't want mom to know that he and I are still talking. I swear mother is trying to cut everyone from my life. I know it's not her fault that daddy died, but...she won't let me be close to anybody._

 _I truly am alone, now._

 _And I don't know what to do_.

Regina shut her journal, recognizing her need to get ready was pertinent now. She undressed quickly and made her way towards her bathroom to take a quick shower, after which she dressed in black dress pants and a grey turtle neck, her black jacket and boots accompanying. She knew people talked behind her back about her dressing like an adult, but she found it comforting and it made her feel independent. She also knew that if she dressed in jeans and sweatshirts out in public like the other kids did, her mother would use that as one more reason to be constantly disappointed in her. And she was so tired of disappointing her mother.

Finally, she made her way down the stairs and met her mother at the kitchen table. Cora was drinking coffee and eating a breakfast apple turnover. Regina decided to skip out on breakfast—her stomach was churning and she was anything but hungry.

Cora barely glanced up as her daughter made her way down the stairs. "Would you like a ride to school today?" she asked, sounding tired.

Regina shook her head. "I'll walk, thank you mother." She said softly, pulling her bag up higher on her shoulder.

"And don't dwindle afterwards, we have to take an early dinner tonight…I have business to discuss with Mr. Gold at six, and at nine you and I will be starting magic lessons."

Regina double blinked at this information, sure that her mother and Mr. Gold were doing much more than simply "discussing business" after dinner, but not daring to say so. She was more interested in what her mother said after that. They weren't meant to start magic lessons for another few months.

"Is…that what you're discussing with Gold?" Regina questioned.

"No, that's none of your business." Cora snapped and then her voice grew softer. "We're starting your lessons early because I've noticed some uncontrollable magic about the house recently and I'm growing tired of it. It hasn't even started to snow yet outside but you can be sure that it's snowed in my living room twice in the past week. It's about time you learned to control yourself."

Regina pressed her lips together, nodding in agreement. She was surprised Cora hadn't said anything beforehand. These feelings she was having, she needed to better learn to control and fast. Cora was going to figure her out well before her time. "Okay." Is what Regina settled on saying. "Goodbye, mother."

"Have a good day, dear."

Regina scoffed once she exited the house, sure that her mother really couldn't care less whether Regina had a good day or not, so long as she showed up on time for her after school plans.

As she waited for class to start, Regina opened the current book she was reading, "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and glanced up every so often to notice as more and more people filed into the classroom. She smirked, knowing she was right earlier in thinking she'd have plenty of time to spare. If it wasn't for her mother's constant punctuality obsession, she would be able to sleep in an extra 45 minutes every morning. That would be extraordinarily helpful to her, considering all of the nightmares she often had.

When Emma walked into the classroom, Regina's heart stopped. When she sat down in front of Regina, the Mills girl forgot to breathe. Her eyes widened substantially. She couldn't recall a time that she and Emma ever had a conversation alone. Her heart started screaming. She hoped it wasn't noticeable.

"That's a good book," Emma commented, figuring it might be a good start.

Regina couldn't hide her surprise. "You like Shakespeare?" She cocked her head in wonder. Emma didn't seem to be a Shakespeare type of girl so much as a "spend too much time adventuring and not enough time at home reading" type of girl. _Or maybe,_ Regina thought to herself, _Maybe I'm just boring._

Emma shrugged. "Not usually-I don't read a whole lot on my own, but sometimes it's fun. But we studied Shakespeare in English last semester." She nodded her head towards the book Regina was holding. "That one was my favorite." She was thankful that Regina had given her a good starting point because she felt nervous to the point of fumbling over her words and quite possibly passing out.

She gave Regina a warm smile despite her nerves and Regina couldn't help but smile back.

"Mine, too." The brunette admitted, pushing a lock of her long hair behind one ear-hair that her mother was constantly pushing her to get cut, but she loved it too much to do so. Emma found it quite endearing as well, although she was sure Regina could pull off literally anything and still look gorgeous. "And then Romeo and Juliet..." She added, knowing how cliché that must sound. A light blush reached her cheeks.

A smirk spread across Emma's lips. "So you're a hopeless romantic." She determined, and could swear she saw the girl's cheeks redden even more. Emma was extremely amused by this. She'd never seen Regina act so...shy and smitten. She gave a little laugh and Gina tried her best to memorize every second of it, sure that by now she was being way too obvious, but maybe that would mean she didn't have to be blunt and say right out how she felt. Maybe Emma would just figure it out on her own. If Emma was noticing, however, she wasn't saying anything about it.

Before anything else could be exchanged between the two of them and before Emma could get to the point she had actually planned to get to-apologizing for Hook's behavior-the teacher walked into the room to begin class. Emma gave another smile, one that Gina swore she could watch for days, and turned around in her seat so that she was facing the front. Regina pulled out her journal to write what she was feeling. She didn't worry about getting caught-not even teachers wanted bad blood with Cora, so none ever questioned anything Regina did. She knew she would be left alone because as long as she got her work done, which she always did, the teachers didn't care.

 _Sometimes I wish I was invisible...maybe then Emma wouldn't see me blush so much when I see her or when she talks to me. Her laugh is like...the optimism that my life so craves. I know, I'm morbidly poetic. Can you blame me, really, for having feelings for her though? She's the light that I've always wanted to be a part of me, as opposed to the darkness that seems to constantly surround me._

 _That's my problem-I can't get rid of my mother's shadow no matter how much I might try to-and what's worse is no one gives me the chance to. No one besides Emma._

 _Not that it matters anyways. I wouldn't have a chance with her no matter how much unlike my mother I am._

 _Perhaps I put Emma on too high a pedestal._

 _I just can't help myself._

She shut her journal and decided to actually pay attention to her history class so that she'd know how to do the homework.

Occasionally her gaze stuck to the back of Emma's head. What she didn't know was that Emma could sense that she was staring, and she was wearing the smile that Regina's gaze was giving her.

The day dragged on as per usual and the girls continued to pretend their days away, day dreaming and sighing. Regina waited anxiously for her last and final class with Emma-truly the highlight of her day for she was anxious and concerned about what the rest of the night with her mother would consist of and Emma provided a beautiful distraction.

They had 6th hour together, which was the anatomy and physiology class. Regina wondered if Emma would maybe try to make a habit of talking to her without her posse, though she knew it was a stretch to dream for...particularly considering who Emma's boyfriend was.

 _Killian._ Regina reminded herself in a scolding fashion. _For god's sake, Regina, quit pining over a taken, straight woman. It isn't going to happen_.

She couldn't help but wonder how Killian would react to the information that the two had spoken earlier. She was sure he wouldn't be particularly excited about this. The idea made her smirk, but also gulp softly.

Glancing out the window, she noticed a few snowflakes swirling about in the air. Pressing her lips together, Gina wrote down her thoughts in her journal-which seemed to be her best friend recently.

 _Imagine the pirate's reaction to Emma, the light, speaking to Regina, the Dark. The supposed Evil Queen...he thinks I'm evil and I think he's a pirate. He keeps stealing precious things that don't belong to him..._

"Hey," once again, taking Regina's breath away and surprising her for the second time today, Emma sat down in front of her. The young brunette pinched her own leg underneath the table because this had to be a dream. Yet she felt a sting. This must be real. Was Emma baiting her, or was this genuine?

Emma _never_ paid this much attention to her, which Regina knew was partially her own fault. She often pulled away and tried to keep to herself. She found this tended to stir up less trouble, particularly in the case of Emma Swan.

Regina shut her journal quickly, hoping Emma hadn't read anything that was written. She didn't know if she'd be able to handle that sort of humiliation.

"Hey," she replied, now just extremely curious as to why Killian hadn't interrupted either of their conversations. She turned her head to see if he was, in fact, in the classroom. He was, uncharacteristically by himself in the corner.

Regina glanced back at Emma; something was wrong. Were they fighting? Was it because of her?! Her mind spun and wove multiple questions, yet all she could manage to ask Emma was,

"Why is Killian not by your side, prepared with some sort of witty jab?" She bit her lip as soon as she said it, realizing how rude that must have sounded. She hadn't meant to get so defensive. It wasn't Emma who taunted her, after all. Emma was always the one trying to stop it.

Emma, thankfully, seemed unaffected by the bluntness of the comment. "Yeah, I actually wanted to talk to you about him..." She said sheepishly. She smiled inwardly at Regina's adorable lip bite. "I'm really sorry about last night. And every time before that. That's not fair to you. I'm tired of him thinking he can treat people like that..."

Gina was touched that Emma cared enough to apologize, but she waved her hand like it wasn't a big deal. She didn't want Killian to know that he was actually bothering her and she certainly didn't want Emma to think of her as weak. "I'm used to it," she insisted, looking down and fumbling with the strap of her journal.

Emma's tone grew softer. "But you shouldn't have to be." She insisted and then took a breath before adding, her heart pounding and her eyes looking anywhere but at Regina. "I broke up with him."

Expressive brown eyes widened at the news, caught off guard and at a loss how to respond. What did Emma intend for her to say back in this situation? What was a decent response? She searched Emma's face for answers that she wasn't going to get.

The cogs in Gina's mind spun and Emma could tell.

"Don't worry, it's not just because of you or anything, we were due to break up again. It was just a matter of time..."

"Oh, Emma...I'm so sorry." Regina found herself saying. As much as she was glad that Emma had come to her senses-she was much better off with Neal or August, in Regina's opinion they were much nicer human beings-she felt terrible because it was obvious that Emma was hurt, torn up, and confused currently about whatever was running through her head.

Emma sighed, watching Regina intently now and realizing it was something she'd never truly done without feeling the need to look away just as quickly.

She was gorgeous, Regina was. She was so chic looking without even trying to be. She was quietly, fiercely, fabulous and poised and Emma didn't feel worthy enough to talk to her, yet here they were. Regina just seemed so...silently regal, which Emma adored, and she was staring to think that Killian may have had the "queen" part right. He was just mistaken about the "evil" part.

Killian watched this exchange from across the room, jealously-angrily. He hated the way they were both looking at each other and that's when reality smacked him in the face-stabbed him in the gut like a sharpened sword.

He played close attention. Regina bit shyly at her bottom lip, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and mystery, and Emma blushed. Emma laughed and Regina studied her with her eyes, practically swooning.

Of course. It was so blatantly obvious now that he was truly paying attention. To anyone watching, their feelings for each other would be known right away. He questioned why he never noticed this before. This changed everything. No wonder why Swan got so defensive and broke up with him the night before. No wonder why she was always so protective of the evil queen.

Furious, he snapped the pencil he was holding in half and stared at Regina's journal, which was laying in plain sight on her desk.

 _She's foolish to bring something so personal everywhere she goes-no doubt so that her mother doesn't go snooping. She probably writes all about her stupid little crush in that book of hers...Swan is obviously oblivious..._ an evil idea struck his head. _Perhaps I should be the one to inform her. After all, it's not very smart to keep something this big a secret..._

So that's what he decided he would do.

. . .

At one point during the class, Regina was excused to the restroom, her journal left discarded in her bag which was hanging over the back of her chair, and Killian couldn't believe his luck.

This, he knew, would be his only chance to claim the journal and see just how Regina felt about one Miss Emma Swan.

He stood to turn his paper in after seriously rushing to finish it. He passed by Regina's desk and quickly reached into her bag, sweeping her journal into his jacket-a trick he learned from Neal. Emma didn't notice, as she was looking down at the work she was doing. When he made it back to his desk he smirked triumphantly to himself.

Regina returned to her seat not long afterwards and resumed her work, luckily oblivious.

A low laugh, Killian opened the journal and started reading, doing so for the rest of the hour. He was actually interested in uncovering the Queen's secrets, and wondered what fun he could actually have once he discovered them.

 _That'll teach her to try to fight back against me._ He thought to himself, looking over at Emma, longingly. _Maybe once Swan realizes what Mills really thinks of her, she'll come back to me._


	3. Chapter 3

**This story is pretty AU in quite a few aspects, but very similar to story line in others, so just sort of bear with me and if you have any questions feel free to ask, okay? :)**

 **Thank you all for your comments and reviews so far! I'm really hoping this story turns out as awesomely as it did in my head when I started planning it to begin with. It is pretty fluffy and cliche in many ways but also pretty serious and dark in other ways and I'm trying to figure out how I want to balance that out.**

 **Let me know what you think. :) My review box and my PM are always open.**

 **Love always, Hayley**

 **Chapter 3:**

When Emma got home she felt like flying. She'd spoken to Regina twice today, which was more progress than she could say they'd ever made in any sort of relationship with each other, friendship or otherwise. She was slightly disappointed in herself for not saying something like, "Maybe we could talk at lunch tomorrow," so that Regina would know this wasn't just a one-time thing, though. She really wished there was more time in a day.

It was difficult to process what Regina was really thinking about her breaking up with Killian, too. She seemed genuinely upset for Emma and Emma couldn't tell how to read that. Was she just upset because she thought that Emma was hurting over this and it was because of her? Was she interested in pursuing Emma at all now that Killian was out of the way?

Emma was sure she was taking things too quickly even for herself to wrap her head around. She took a deep breath and tried to focus on her homework as she sat on her bed and stared down at her text book. But she just couldn't focus.

She wondered what Regina was writing about all of the time in that book of hers. She never verified whether or not it was a type of diary, although Emma knew that if it was it was truly none of her business.

However, she couldn't help but wonder, with a slight blush, if Regina ever wrote about her…

After a little while, her mother interrupted her thoughts. This was okay, Emma figured, since it brought her out of her day dreaming and made her realize that none of her homework had even been started. Damn Regina Mills and her perfection, and the thoughts of her infiltrating Emma's mind all hours of the day. Emma was positive that if she kept thinking like this up, she'd never accomplish anything productive again. She was willing to be okay with that, as long as that meant she got to keep thinking about Regina Mills.

"Emma, it's time for dinner!" Mary Margaret called up the stairs.

Emma took the steps two at a time and made her way to the dinner table. "Where's dad?" she wondered and then answered her own question with a sigh. "Late shift again?" she got herself and her mother each a glass of water and set them down on the table.

Mary Margaret nodded. Since David worked as the chief of police, and he was pretty much the only one on the force, he was nearly constantly at work no thanks to Cora Mills.

"Cora has him working a double." Mary Margaret informed Emma.

"Someone likes to hold grudges," Emma rolled her eyes and took a biscuit from the center of the table.

Mary Margaret sighed. "Don't hate Cora for this, Emma. What I did was inexcusable."

"What you did was an accident. You were a kid, how were you supposed to know that—"

"I don't want to talk about it, Emma. You know the story, I know the story, and so does Cora. When she's ready to stop punishing everyone else for something that I've done and just forgive me and move on…then she will do so."

Emma went silent and took a drink of water.

"Now, on to a more cheerful topic: did you have a good day at school today?" Mary Margaret asked of her daughter.

Emma snorted. "You think school is a cheerful topic?"

Mary Margaret laughed. "Do you forget that you're talking to an elementary school teacher?"

"How could I?" was Emma's response, but with a smile. "School was fine. I uh…I talked to Regina today." Emma bit her lip, wondering if this was too much too soon. She just couldn't seem to help herself. She felt lovesick and stupid yet also over the moon. All because of this juvenile crush that she had. And the worst part was that she loved this feeling—she never wanted it to go away.

Mary Margaret's eyes lit up and she watched as Emma's face reddened slightly. It was so cute how into Regina Emma seemed to be. If only she would just admit it to herself, and to Regina. The two of them would be adorable together. They truly would make a great couple, in Mary Margaret's eyes. If only things were that simple, the mother sighed inwardly. Out loud, she said,

"Oh? That's great, honey, what did you say?"

After Emma caught her mother up on the conversations, Mary Margaret nodded and watched as Emma stuffed her mouth with a huge bite of casserole, no doubt so that she wouldn't spill anything else she was thinking about Regina. But Mary Margaret would have none of that nonsense.

"So…Why are you suddenly so interested in Regina?" she had to ask.

Emma nearly swallowed her giant bite whole and washed it down with a huge gulp of water before she choked on it. "It's not sudden," she was quick to defend herself.

The corners of Mary Margaret's lips turned up, slightly and she looked down at her plate before looking back up at her daughter. "It isn't?"

"No, I…I've always been interested in Regina…"

Emma could not believe that she had just admitted that to her mother, but figured, as she had the night before, that letting out little pieces of information at a time would be the best way to go about this whole situation. And she really needed to talk to her mother about this. She was the only one that was going to understand.

"Interested…in what way?" Mary Margaret pushed. "Like, friendship?"

Emma stared at her mother incredulously. Did she already know? That's what this seemed like. This inquiry seemed to be going in one particular direction—a very gay direction, in Emma's opinion. What other way was there to interpret that? If Mary Margaret didn't suspect Emma's true feelings, that wouldn't have even been a question. How long had her mother known this about her?

"Do you…do you already know the answer to that, Mom?" she asked.

Although Mary Margaret promised she wasn't going to assume anything about Emma's feelings…this wasn't really assuming. She could just tell. She and Emma were very close. She'd known for a long time now, how Emma felt about Regina, and had been trying to get Emma to tell her herself. But maybe she just needed that little push, and, now that she was asking if Mary Margaret knew the answer, she wasn't going to lie and say that she didn't.

"…I've known for a long time now, Emma, sweetie. But it's okay, really. I think it's really sweet. You get so excited and blushy when you talk about her…You really like her, don't you?"

Emma couldn't believe her mother. "You knew?!" she asked. "You knew and you let me think that you didn't?! Do you know how scared I was to talk to you about this? Why didn't' you just say something before?" she demanded to know.

"Because, Emma, it wasn't my place to just bluntly ask you what your sexuality is or who you like and who you don't. You were dating Killian for the longest time, and it wasn't my place to ask you why you were seeing the wrong person. I know just as well as you do how Cora to react to something like that. I figured you thought it'd be safer to pretend to love Killian, but I'm telling you right now, Emma: True love _isn't_ easy. But it's worth it."

Emma stared at her mother, incredulously. This was a lot of information to process. The past couple days had been moving very quickly and had been all kinds of crazy. She needed to take a step back. "How am I supposed to know if this is true love?" Emma laughed without humor. "I'm seventeen…she's seventeen…and today was the first time we've spoken face to face in…" ever? Was today the first time they'd talked without anyone else getting in the way?

"Listen to what your heart is telling you, Emma." Mary Margaret said to her daughter, taking her hand across the table, their dinners going ignored. "Your father and I will support you no matter what. And your heart is almost always right."

Out of all of the scenarios that had played through Emma's head about this conversation that the two of them had just had…that was not the way she'd seen it going at all.

Suddenly, with the support of her mother, Emma felt like she had a new air of confidence surrounding her. She saw the way Regina was looking at her and blushing during their conversation today. She had to like her too, right?

So their only true obstacle was Cora Mills…and Killian but he'd be easy to deal with. He'd get over it sooner. Cora was obviously someone who remembered when she was slighted in any way, and this was certainly something that the woman was going to take personally, regardless of whether it had to do with her or not.

Emma's job now was to figure out how to get through that. She was sure that once they got through that…they could get through anything. She didn't have to talk to Regina every day for years and years to know that they were a perfect match. It was something she could feel in her gut.

It was something she felt in her heart.

It was something that felt…so very right.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Killian made it home with his new steal, hungrily reading page after page. His knowledge of Regina Mills was growing stronger and stronger by the second and it made him feel so powerful. He drank in this feeling, greedily. Finally, the Mills family didn't have a leg up on him. For once, he was in control when it came to Regina Mills, and, therefore, in control when it came to her mother, as well. Her mother, who controlled the entire town and made everyone feel like a slave.

 _Not for much longer._ Killian reassured himself. _Not once all of this gets out._

He hated—absolutely loathed—that Cora Mills had complete control of everyone and everything in Storybrooke. This included over his father, who was in jail because of her. This was something he found extremely unfair and something he blamed the entire Mills family for, not just Cora, even if it was just her fault.

Now, he felt, it was time to get his revenge. And if he hurt Regina in the process, so be it, so long as it meant he was also hurting Cora's reputation as pristine, in-charge mayor of the town.

These inner secrets of Regina's could absolutely ruin the Mills family name.

He read another page, disgusted but excited to be learning more of Regina's innermost thoughts.

 ** _I can't stop thinking about her…what's wrong with me? I picture her gorgeous blonde hair entangled in my fingers and her warm skin pressed against mine. I want to hold her close…taste her lips…I want to be able to say how I feel to her…I know I can't and that I maybe probably shouldn't be feeling this way…listen to me, I can't even gather my thoughts properly…_**

It was an entry from about a month previous and it made Killian crinkle his nose in disgust but also laugh out loud.

"Imagine the look on Cora's face if she found out about this," he said to no one but himself. "Or the look on Emma's face. Or Regina's, once she realizes what a terrible mistake she made, leaving her journal for anybody to take. Suddenly the Regal family won't have so much power…it's about time someone puts them in their place—teaches them they're no better than the rest of us. And I cannot wait to be the person to do it."

He turned his head towards the picture of his father, which rested on the mantle above the fireplace in the house he shared with his mother.

"Father would be so proud," he assured himself. "For once, you will have the power and the Mills family will be nothing."

He kept repeating his plan, in the hopes that if he said it enough times, it might come true. He read a few more pages, plotting out how he was going to do this. Perhaps, if he played his cards right, he could blackmail Cora into letting his father go.

Yes. This was the best plan he had ever come up with, and he intended to carry it out as soon as possible. Now all he had to do was start to act on it and figure out what he wanted to do first. The Mills women wouldn't know what hit them.

. . .

Regina left the school in a state of pure terror. Her journal had to be in her bag. She specifically remembered putting the journal back in her bag while she was talking to Emma. But when she'd reached for it last hour, it was nowhere to be found.

Of course, she knew that while she was talking to Emma she was extremely distracted, but she'd already deep cleaned her locker and her bag, and looked through the classrooms and hallways she'd been in between 6th and 7th hours. There was still no sign of it and she pressed her lips together frantically, checking her watch. She was running out of time and didn't dare make her mother miss her "meeting" with Mr. Gold.

The only solution that Regina could come up with was that it had been stolen, which was hardly a solution at all. Her heart pounded fiercely and storm clouds that she knew were her fault started to gather in the sky above her as she left the school building, ever so hesitantly.

Knowing that it was stolen scared her to the point of no return. Constant terrible scenarios ran through her mind.

Emma couldn't have taken it—one, that wasn't something Emma Swan would do, was it? Regardless of the people she hung around, Regina was positive that Emma herself had higher moral standards. And two, Regina was watching her the whole time, she blushed even admitting it to herself, and she would have seen if it had been taken.

She had the journal herself every other time of day, she thought back to her actions and then it hit her. It must have been taken while she was in the bathroom. She knew for a fact she hadn't taken it with her there.

Her heart seemed to drop all the way down to her feet. She was done for.

Her heart raced even quicker and she tried to get herself to calm down, to no prevail. If Cora saw her like this she'd have to start explaining things, and this was something that Cora would never understand. Not in a million years.

Now, Regina's father, Henry, may have certainly understood this. His heart and mind were open and he was always there for Regina to confide in…until he passed away about 6 months previous for reasons unknown. The authorities were calling it an accidental death…something to do with his physical health, which hadn't been doing very well in quite a few years by this point.

Regina missed him terribly. She was close to Henry, she really was. He never forced her to do anything she didn't want to do. He never verbally or physically abused her, and he never cast her aside for being different. He paid attention to her and he loved her. Which was more, she felt, than she could say for her mother.

Cora loved her daughter, and Regina knew it was unfair to say that she didn't. But she wanted a life for Regina that Regina didn't want for herself and she would do literally anything to get that. It scared the teenager to no end, which was why she didn't want to go home right now.

Yet there she stood, outside of the mansion, wondering if maybe news had traveled fast in such a small town and Cora already knew the contents of Regina's journal. She dry swallowed and tried to calm her heart, waiting for the storm clouds above her to pass before opening the door.

"Mother, I'm home," she called out, willing her voice not to crack. Luckily, it was steady. She met Cora in the dining room where dinner was already laid out on the table.

"It's about time, dear, what the hell took you so long?" Cora demanded, sitting down and nodding her head so that Regina would do the same.

Regina searched her mother's face for clues that she might know any of her daughter's secrets, but Cora's damned poker face was just too good for Regina to be able to tell. Her heart continued to pound. She took a long, slow, deep breath and took a bite of her food.

"How was school?" Cora wondered.

Scrunching her eyebrows in slight confusion, Regina tilted her head up to respond to her mother, whom almost never talked to her at dinner, and especially not about school. Something was wrong.

"It was okay," Regina said slowly after swallowing her bite. "We don't have much going on recently. We're sort of in between chapters in every class."

"Are you making any new friends, Dear?" Cora asked her.

Regina's heart stopped.

 _By "friends" does she mean Emma? Does she know? Who took my journal, who told her? Oh my god she knows, doesn't she? She's going to kill me. She's going to kill me just like the whole town thinks she killed Daddy…_

How was she to answer this question?

Was Emma her new friend, or was talking to her today just a one-time thing?

She didn't know anymore. She didn't know anything that was going on and she was scared and she was concerned. More than anything, she wanted her journal back, safe, in her own arms. If only.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean, mother?" she decided to ask. "New friends?"

"Dr. Hopper has informed me that he's seen you running into a particular group quite commonly these days. Jones, Cassidy, Booth, and Swan." She sounded incredibly displeased, but Regina let out a relieved breath. If she was asking about them being her friends, then one of them hadn't taken her journal—or, at least, they hadn't shown it to Cora. Yet. She still had time to figure this out before things turned out terrible.

"They're hardly my friends," Regina's voice dropped drastically to a hushed tone. She took another bite to distract herself.

"Oh?" Cora seemed interested in this news and Regina was curious why she cared. She also wanted to know why her therapist, Dr. Hopper, would say this to Cora at all considering he knew how much Regina didn't like those boys, and there was supposed to be a sense of doctor/patient confidentiality. Not that she ever really told him anything personal anyways. She went to him because her mother said she had to. Anything personal was written in her journal…and wouldn't be personal for much longer. "Not even Emma Swan is your friend? You weren't talking to her throughout the day today?"

"Do you have eyes watching me constantly, mother?" Regina felt herself daring enough to ask. This grew tiring. Cora may be able to corrupt and manipulate the rest of the town, but her own daughter? Where was the line drawn?

Cora stared her down, hard, before taking a swallow of the dark red wine she was drinking. "I don't want you hanging around Emma Swan or her parents, Regina. You know about my past with Mary Margaret Blanchard."

"Mother, with all due respect—"

"If you must insist that what you're saying is respectful there is always the possibility I will take it as otherwise, Regina. Do not upset me tonight. This is your first warning."

Regina took a shaky breath and started again. "Emma isn't anything like her mother."

"And you're aware of this, because?" Cora raised a curious eyebrow. "Enlighten me, darling, I'm dying to know."

The tone in her mother's voice suggested that Regina had just used up her second warning. The young girl pressed her lips together and tried not to cry. This was too much at once today. It was turning out to be one of the worst days of her life and she had a feeling that things were just going to get worse from here on out.

"Emma is nice, and she's caring. She…She isn't the one who messed up, Mary Margaret was, and Mary Margaret has apologized over and over—"

"Do you think an apology is good enough when someone has died because of her?"

"This isn't about your brother's death, and you know it." Regina said scathingly, all fear of her mother gone. She was exasperated and she was tired of arguing about this story almost every night, and she was terrified about whoever had her journal. More storm clouds gathered outside the window and, although Cora and Regina both noticed this happening, it went ignored. "This is about your pride. You're too proud to say that you forgive someone but mother, Mary Margaret saved your life. And besides, forgiveness doesn't have to be a sign of weakness, it can be—"

" _Regina Cora Mills_ don't you _dare_ speak to me as if you have some sort of authority over me,"

"I'm not trying to, it's just that Emma isn't her mother, and what Mary Margaret did saved—"

"ENOUGH." Cora smacked her hand down on the table and Regina flew out of her chair, across the room, and smacked into the back wall, being held up by some sort of imaginary force's hands clasped tightly around her neck. She reached to her neck to try to stop it, but Cora had control of her from across the room. Regina's legs kicked against the wall to try to break free with no success. "DO NOT PROCEED TO ACT AND KNOW BETTER THAN I DO. I AM YOUR MOTHER, AND YOU WILL TREAT ME WITH RESPECT. IF I TELL YOU NOT TO SPEAK TO EMMA SWAN THEN GOD DAMN IT, REGINA, YOU WILL NOT SPEAK TO EMMA SWAN IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?"

Tears formed in Regina's eyes and the storm clouds outside transformed into pouring rain. "I'm—sorry," Regina reached and reached for whatever force was at her neck, but nothing was physically there. She was being choked internally. She clawed at the wall behind her. "Mother, please," a tear fell from her eye. "I'll—be—good…" she choked out.

Slowly, Cora lowered Regina to the floor and Regina coughed, wiping her tears off of her eyes with the back of her hand. She took in deep, greedy breaths of air and stared at the floor, regaining her composure.

Cora walked slowly towards her daughter and pulled her up off of the ground. "Look at me, Regina." Her voice was low and smooth. Frighteningly so. "Don't you ever question me again. I don't know what your fascination with Emma Swan is and frankly, I have no intention of finding out. What I do know is that you will not go near her again. You will stay away from that group of kids, and you will keep to yourself and do your work. You will practice your magic. You will have all of the power. You will train to take my place. Is that understood?"

"I don't want to be Mayor," Regina tried desperately for one last word in.

Cora's eyes sparkled. "Of course you do." She cocked her head to the side. "It's your dream." With that she kissed the top of Regina's head and sent her up to her bedroom to do her homework, leaving with the promise that she would be back in time for a magic lesson before bed.

Regina let out a long, shaky breath when she reached her room and let a few more tears roll down her cheeks. She laid down on her bed and curled up into a ball, letting the tears hit her pillow.

If her mother was going to choke her for even speaking to Emma Swan…what was she going to do once she found out why she wanted to talk to Emma so badly?


	5. Chapter 5

**Another look into the relationship between Cora and Regina and how Regina is feeling about all of these new so called magic lessons...as well as a deeper look into Regina's past relationship with Daniel.**

 **Love always, Hayley**

 **Chapter 5:**

By the time Cora made it back up to Regina's room, the young girl had wiped her face dry of tears and tried to gather her thoughts. She went over in her head what had happened to her today, which was a hearty list to say the least, and calmed down enough so that her face was no longer puffy from her soft crying.

She loved her mother and loathed her all at the same time. Cora was terrifying at best, and it was no wonder to Regina, at times, that people around town all figured that Cora had been the one to kill Henry, as opposed to his death being "accidental" or due to "natural physical causes". If Regina was being honest with herself, she sometimes questioned whether Cora did in fact murder Henry…which was another reason why Regina could hardly stand to be in the same room with her, let alone be her daughter.

But at the same time, she couldn't help but to love her—she was her mother. And she knew that Cora loved her, she just had an extremely different way of showing it…on the rare chance that she _did_ show it.

Regina stood and made herself presentable again when her mother knocked on the door.

"Come in," Regina said, knowing it was useless because if Cora wanted to do something, she would do it regardless of permission.

"Are you ready for your magic lesson?" Cora asked her, all traces of what had happened at dinner gone from her face. That was the thing about Cora and Regina. She could never stay mad at Regina for very long, but when she was mad, she was _furious._

"Yes." Regina responded, lying through her teeth. "Is it taking place in the mansion?" she was genuinely curious but for some reason her mother found that comical.

"Do you believe I have a death wish, darling?" she laughed a low, sarcastic laugh. "Gods, no it isn't taking place in the mansion. We're going to the graveyard."

"The…graveyard?" Regina raised an eyebrow.

"To my crypt." Cora responded with little patience for this trivial behavior. It had already been a long night, and the last thing she had wanted after meeting with Mr. Gold was to come back and deal with Regina's magic lesson, but it needed to be done. "Come along, darling." She nodded her head towards the front door and, reluctantly, Regina followed.

As soon as they stepped out the front door, Cora took hold of Regina's arm and poofed them to the front of her crypt. Slightly disoriented, Regina double blinked and let go of her mother as the purple smoke from the experience dissipated. It was the first time her mother had "poofed" her anywhere and it was dizzying, for sure. Cora glanced over at her.

"Oh, yes, that. You'll get used to that in no time."

"Why," Regina began to ask, wiping off the front of her clothes. "Did we bother to walk out the front door if you were just going to poof us here anyways?"

"My, my you are a curious one, aren't you?" Cora rolled her eyes. "I didn't feel like cleaning the powder off of the hard wood floors, Regina."

"It's not like that'd be difficult, considering the magic you possess…" Regina muttered.

Cora shot her a glare. "If I were you, dear, I'd be more careful with your tone of voice."

Pressing her lips together, Regina let out a soft sigh as the two of them entered the crypt and moved Henry's casket, making their way down the stairs. "Yes, mother." She didn't want to risk being choked again.

 _How ridiculous that I have to be worried about upsetting my own mother to the point where she'll choke me to death._ She thought to herself. _I'll bet you anything that Emma Swan or Ruby Lucas has never had to worry about their guardians threatening to kill them or rip_ _ **their**_ _hearts out…_

She pushed the thought off to the side. Now was not the time to think about Emma…even though that was something she couldn't keep herself from doing, recently.

"Now. What all do you know how to do, magic wise?" Cora asked her daughter.

Regina furrowed her eyebrows. _Nothing…? That's why we're here…?_ "Um…well I made it snow the other day…and it storms outside because of me sometimes…my emotions control the weather, I'm sorry, I've been trying to get it under control…"

"Therefore that's what I'm going to be teaching you first." Cora nodded with determination.

Regina wondered, if she didn't get something down right away, what her mother's reaction would be. She figured she probably didn't want to find out.

"Now, Regina, to be able to control these emotions I need to know what sorts of emotions they are." Cora's eyes bore into Regina's and Regina gulped, trying to keep a poker face—something she'd learned from her mother and grew to be quite good at, thankfully.

She knew this was a trick so that Cora could figure out her relationship between Killian, August, Emma, and Neal, no thanks to Dr. Hopper. Although Regina couldn't care less about the boys, she very clearly knew how her mother felt about Emma Swan…and how she herself probably shouldn't feel about Emma Swan, but did.

"When it storms it's because I'm angry…" Regina started. "Not every time it storms, obviously, but when it does so spontaneously." She paused, not wanting to continue, but Cora seemed to want to push it.

"Go on," she insisted.

Regina swallowed. "If I'm just upset it rains. If I'm thoughtful or full of some sort of…adoration, I suppose you would call it, it starts to snow."

"Adoration?" Cora knew she was getting somewhere. She was getting what she wanted. "For whom? Is it Daniel again, dear?"

This surprised Regina, for she wasn't aware that her mother even knew about the feelings she used to have for Daniel. This was until she started to fall for Emma. Until she started to realize that she was only having feelings for Daniel because he was the only person who ever tried to give her the time of day. But that was over now. He wanted nothing to do with her anymore, now that Cora had chased him away. Cora seemed to chase everybody away. Which left Regina vulnerable, closed off, and alone.

Daniel had been her best friend. They did everything together and he actually understood her. He was the first person who did, besides her father. He was gentle with her, and kind. He didn't treat her like everyone else in town did. She went into thought, sadly, remembering how things used to be. Before Henry's death, when everything went bad.

 **"** **Gina…" Daniel laughed. "I'm pretty sure that's NOT how you make apple fritters." She was getting flour all over the front of her apron and long sleeved shirt. She was still learning.**

 **"** **Ahem," Regina rolled her eyes with a smile. "Excuse you, sir. I happen to be fairly good at baking. Daddy says it's one of my best assets."**

 **"** **Mmm." Daniel came up behind her and hugged her tightly. "Something your dad taught you?"**

 **"** **Yep!" Regina grinned brightly. "It's his newest recipe, it's supposed to be really good…let me know?" she held up a spoon she was using to mix and he licked off the apple and cinnamon.**

 **"** **I'm sure it'll be great, Gina." He promised her.**

 **"** **Great enough to impress my mother?" Regina pleaded to know.**

 **Daniel studied Regina's face, softly. "How many times have you tried making this recipe, Gina?" he asked her, understanding now.**

 **She set the bowl down. "This would be my third."**

 **"** **All because she didn't like it?" Daniel demanded to know.**

 **Regina pressed her lips together.**

 **"** **Gina, you are incredible no matter what your mother says." He swept a lock of hair behind Regina's ear and kissed her forehead softly. "Remember that, okay? She can't control you."**

 **"** **If only it were that simple," Regina had whispered.**

 **"** **It can be." Daniel promised. "You'll see…"**

"Regina!" Cora snapped.

Regina shot her head up, all thoughts and traces of Daniel, her long lost best friend and partner, disappearing. "Yes? Oh...yes, mother, adoration towards Daniel." She figured that was wiser than telling her she was falling for Emma Swan.

"Still?" Cora let out a groan of annoyance. "I sent him away for a reason, dear, you're going to have to get over it."

The girl nodded.

"Alright, so, the thing you have to do is build up a wall in your mind." Cora started to explain. "Not a physical wall, obviously, but a hypothetical wall. It will keep your emotions from getting the best of you and therefore the weather will be unaffected by your short little bursts of feelings. It's not like a normal hypothetical wall, though. It's in the mind of someone who is magical. This will be a very strong wall, Regina. It will block out many of your feelings."

Regina wasn't sure she liked the sound of this. She didn't mind having feelings and emotions, especially having to do with love. Wasn't that what made someone…human? And the one thing she did know about magic was that all magic came with a price. What was this going to do to her? "Will I…be able to access them at will?" she wondered.

Her mother stared at her, blankly. "Why on earth would you want to do that?"

"Say per chance that I _did_ want to? That I didn't want to be lonely my entire life? That I might want to love someone in this lifetime?"

"Sweetheart…" Cora sighed at her clueless daughter. "Don't you understand yet that love is weakness?"

Regina continued to stare, wanting her answer and wanting it now.

"You can break this wall, yes, but it would take someone extraordinarily special. It will also take you quite a bit of time to build this wall up. It isn't for the faint hearted but I know you'll be able to manage." She searched around the crypt for the incantation she needed in able to accomplish this. "I do warn you though, it will make you a bit more…blunt. You'll tell the truth much more often. You'll say what you think, meaning you won't waste time in order to protect someone's feelings. You'll be hard and stoic, but you'll have the power. You'll be in control."

 _It will make me a stone cold hearted bitch like her._ Regina realized. "I don't want this!" she insisted out loud. "I don't want power! I just want—"

Cora silenced her by grasping her wrist, tightly. "Regina, dear, do yourself a favor and stop fighting your fate. Just do as your told, make things a little easier on yourself, won't you? I would hate for you to worry yourself to death as your dear, deceased father did."

Regina's eyes widened at the mention of her father. She wondered what Cora had done to him. She wanted to know the truth behind what had happened to him—to Henry, who had loved her more than Cora ever could. She pulled her wrist away from Cora and took in a slow, deep breath. "Fine," she did stop fighting. She was so tired of fighting when she knew it was for naught. Cora would get her way. She would always get her way. So maybe Cora was right. Maybe she needed to just give in to her mother. She had no reason not to anymore. Daniel had left her, and her father was dead. Emma was the only one she cared about and once her journal's secrets were spilled that would all be over. She would be mercifully taunted and Emma would never look at her again. Perhaps a wall was what she needed. She was so tired of getting her heart broken. "Tell me what I have to do to create this so called wall."

The corners of Cora's lips actually turned up, slightly, a twinkle in her eye as she looked at her daughter. "That's my girl."

As much as she didn't want to, Regina felt a ping of excitement in her heart, for gaining the approval of her mother despite what she had to do to get it. It actually felt…good. And Regina decided she liked it a lot better than being thrown against a wall and choked. So maybe she could do what she was told a little more often, she decided. Maybe she should stop trying to fight what her mother called her "fate"—at least for now. If it would gain the approval of her mother. If it would get people to take her seriously. If it would get people to understand how strong she really was.

Maybe, she thought to herself, this wall would make it easier to talk to Emma. She wouldn't be so nervous around her, clearly, it would be much easier to hide this crush.

Yes, Regina decided. This could be a good thing.

She glanced down at the paper that Cora was holding in her hands and focused, reciting the Latin incantation three times over. She closed her eyes and felt the power surge through her. Now it might be okay that her journal was gone. She wasn't sure what she'd do if the secrets were spilled, but, she wouldn't need to write down her feelings anymore for now she would be able to control them. Once she could do this, she realized, she could probably do a lot more with magic…and for once she was excited to do so. If anything to be able to sneak around her mother and discover the truth behind whom Cora was and what she had done.

This included whatever she'd done to the whole town, to make them hate her so much, and whatever she had done to Henry, to kill him. Because Regina was sure now that's what Cora had done. All she had to do was figure out how and why she'd done it. Then perhaps, her father could be avenged.

 **Next chapter: You get to see more of Emma's relationship with her friends. XO**


	6. Chapter 6

**So, not last night but the night before I got a review from ProbablyNotSatan begging me to update this story. Your username amused the hell out of me and your review was very sweet and touched my heart. I don't do this every time someone begs me to update a chapter, but I was in the mood to write a new one anyways and figured why the hell not. :) So this sooner than it would have been update is for you, ProbablyNotSatan. xD Enjoy**

 **You would have gotten it that night, but seems to have been freaking out since then. This is the first time I've clicked on my name and it's actually worked since then.**

 **Therefore, here you go. Reviews always encouraged for questions or comments.**

 **Love always, Hayley**

 **Chapter 6**

Emma sat at a booth at Granny's diner with Neal, August, and Lacey after school the next day. She'd wimped out on talking to Regina this time around…something was seeming off about the Mayor's daughter today and Emma couldn't quite put a finger on what it was. Although Regina remained mostly silent as she so often did, she also seemed…edgier than usual. Emma wondered if maybe it was she who had done something wrong. For that reason, she'd decided to just leave Regina alone for now.

"Why don't you just snog her already, and get it over with?" Lacey demanded with a laugh, drinking down her vanilla milkshake. "After that you're bound to know how she really feels about you."

Emma's face blushed a deep crimson. She loved Lacey, really she did, but she tended to be a bit much at times. And this was one of those times. "Wow, geez, Lace, could you say that a little louder, I don't think she heard you all the way over at the mansion…" she mumbled, stuffing her face with a grilled cheese sandwich, one of her personal favorites.

August shook his head with an amused smile towards Lacey, however. "Snog?" he questioned her use of vocabulary. Being a writer, things like that intrigued him.

Lacey gave a shrug. "All I'm saying is if she really wants you as you seem to be dying to have her…"

"Nobody is going to be "snogging" anybody," Emma rolled her eyes, air quoting the new word of the day.

"Suit yourself, sweetheart…" Lacey trailed off, finishing her milkshake and glancing down at it in a disappointed fashion. She snapped her fingers to get Ruby's attention. Ruby, who was waitressing today as she did every day, considering it was her grandmother and legal guardian who owned the diner to begin with.

"Yeah?" Ruby made her way towards the table. "What's up? Any more juicy gossip about Regina?"

"Jesus!" Emma snapped her head up in concern.

"Mmmm…nope," Ruby smirked sarcastically, looking down at herself and then back at Emma. "Just me, Ems."

Emma tilted her head in annoyance. "Between the two of you, this entire town is going to know what's going on. The last thing we need is news like this spreading to Cora."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Ruby nudged Neal with her hip so that he'd make room for her to sit down and join them. "It's just that…we're excited for you, Em."

"Well don't be," Emma sighed, taking another huge bite and sarcastically congratulating herself for drowning her problems out with food instead of facing them like any normal person would probably try to do. "There's nothing to be excited about. I mean we've only ever spoken once…"

"Just give it time, Emma." Neal suggested. "Things will start to make sense in time."

"Well thank you for that very philosophical pick-me-up," Emma shook her head at Neal's ability to amuse her, at the very least. "I'm just not sure what I want to do at this point. I don't even know what to say to her. Did she seem off to the rest of you today, too? That can't have just been me…"

"I don't know, Ems, I don't spend my entire anatomy and physiology class lustfully watching her majesty the queen with those doting eyes of yours."

"I am not lustful," Emma continued to blush at her friends' playful banter with her. She knew it was all in good fun though, and they knew that it wasn't _truly_ getting to her or her tone and mannerisms would have changed completely. But she was serious about how loudly they discussed this. She wasn't necessarily sure she was scared of Cora, per se; granted, she'd never actually had a conversation alone with Cora and wasn't sure she wanted to tempt fate. Especially over a matter such as this.

"She was acting rather strange, wasn't she?" August offered. "A bit more closed off than usual—"

"Which is weird considering how much of an introvert the girl is to begin with," Ruby nodded in agreement. "But maybe it's because she didn't have her journal today."

Swallowing the rest of her sandwich, Emma glanced up at this news. "What?" she blinked, trying to figure out how she'd missed that little detail. Come to think of it, she couldn't remember a time where she'd seen Regina _without_ that journal; surely she would have noticed it missing today?

"You watch her for two hours of your day and didn't realize a missing book?" August had to question.

"Well of course you'd be all about noticing the books, August," Emma threw back at him. He shrugged, knowing she was right.

She continued to try to remember not seeing this book today but she just couldn't do it. Finally, she said, "I wonder why she didn't have it today? Isn't that sort of a security thing for her? She doesn't leave home without it…"

It was Neal's turn to shrug. "Maybe she forgot it," he supplied. "Or thought she might not need it today?"

Emma shook her head. For any other person that might have been true, but that didn't seem like Regina at all. If it was a journal, (which Emma was about 99.9% sure that it was) Regina wasn't likely to leave it at home where Cora could find it during the day. When Emma and Regina had talked the day before, Emma had noticed how quickly Regina had shut the book, playing with the strap to keep her hands occupied the entire time. The other day, Emma recalled, when Hook had been taunting Regina, she'd clutched her bag tightly to her side—the bag she'd shoved her book in just before standing up to leave.

No, that book must be extremely important to Regina. And if she didn't have it today then something bad must have happed to it. Or to her.

God, Emma hoped the girl was okay.

Her friends all watched her as she was in deep thought about this. Lacey put a comforting hand on Emma's back. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure she's okay. Everybody has an off day now and again, right?"

Emma nodded, still slightly spaced out. She wondered what could have happened to the journal. Had someone taken it? But who? Nobody seemed to like the girl very much, with no help at all from Cora Mills, so literally anybody could be a suspect.

The blonde realized she was thinking about this like a detective. That was what she got, she supposed, for sneaking to the station late nights some times to help her dad with paperwork—something Cora could never know else Emma feared she'd fire David on the spot. It was a miracle she let him work to begin with, with as much hatred as Cora had for Mary Margaret…

 _Think, Emma. Who has the motive…_

And suddenly she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it sooner.

"Killian," she said out loud.

Neal and August turned around, thinking that maybe she was saying the name because he had walked into the diner—they were prepared to leave right away, sure that Emma wasn't ready to see him yet so quickly after their breakup—and Lacey and Ruby were ready to follow. When Killian wasn't in fact walking through the door, or in the diner at all for that matter, the boys turned back around and looked at Emma quizzically.

"What about Killian?" Neal had to ask after Emma was silent for another straight minute.

 _Why he hates her so much I'll never know…But I guess he has good reason to hate Cora…why would he steal Regina's journal…because he hates Regina…seems like a good enough reason for me…_ she thought things through in her head, trying to put pieces together. Of course it was perfectly logical that Killian hadn't been the one to take it—they weren't even sure that the journal was stolen.

But, if Emma _did_ find out it was stolen, she knew exactly who she was going to go to first in order to get it back for Regina. Nobody deserved to have their privacy invaded like that. Everybody was entitled to their own personal secrets. And she was sure, by the way that Regina stayed silent, that she had a lot of secrets. Observers usually did.

"Nothing," Emma zoned back into reality. "Nothing, I was just thinking about something…" she wasn't going to tell her friends her theory yet. It was a bit of a stretch, after all, but if there was one thing she learned from her dad it was to always be one step ahead when trying to solve a problem.

Her friends wouldn't understand this yet. They would just think that Emma only felt so strongly about this because of her crush, and only thought of Killian because of their recent break up and her present bitterness towards him.

Lacey rubbed Emma's back, soothingly, and then turned to Ruby. "So, I originally called you over here to order another milkshake…" she smiled impishly. "Do you think that could be arranged?"

Ruby rolled her eyes. "This is your third milkshake today. After that I'm cutting you off."

Gesturing towards her body with wide eyes, Lacey stated, "Do I look like this is my third milkshake today? Cut me some slack."

Sighing dramatically, Ruby marched her way back out towards the kitchen. The friends sitting at the booth shared a laugh for Lacey was right—her metabolism was extraordinary for someone who ate almost constant sweets. Half of the time it was infuriating but other times, such as this, it was amusing to see how much she could consume whilst not gaining a single pound.

"So," Neal changed the subject. "I was working in the shop the other day and I found something that I'd never seen before." He reached down into the bag that he carried with him and pulled out an hourglass.

The group looked it over. It was about seven inches high and three inches wide. It's sides looked Victorian, almost, in nature—black and carved into swirls, two swirls combining in a heart at the top. It was obviously some sort of antique (as were many things in Mr. Gold's shop) but seemed to seriously have some character to it.

"Okay…" August tried to figure out the significance to it. "It's pretty, but why is it important? I mean, new things pop up in your dad's shop all the time…"

"Yes, but this one is weird. When I turned the corner it wasn't there, but when I walked back a minute later it was. And look at the sand…" he pointed out.

Ruby chose this moment to show back up to the booth with Lacey's milkshake, setting it down and peering over her shoulder to see what the group seemed to be gawking at. "What about sand?" she questioned.

"It's black," Neal pointed out. "I've never seen an hour glass with black sand before…"

Emma pressed her lips together, officially intrigued. "Where do you think it came from?" she asked, picking it up. It was heavier than she expected it to be.

"I'm not sure," Neal said truthfully.

"Hmm…" Emma flipped it around, looking at it from all angles. When she glimpsed at the bottom of it, she stopped. The top had sharp edges but the bottom was flattened and had an obvious piece missing from it. She pointed it out.

"Maybe it fell off when it was moved in the shop," August suggested, turning to Neal. "You should see if you can try to find it."

Neal nodded, "Okay, yeah, I will tomorrow after school."

Emma set the hourglass back down on the table and Lacey took over examining it, passing it on to Ruby, and then to August. "Do you think whoever used to own it is missing it? I wonder what the history is behind this…" August marveled. He was a history buff, on top of being a writer—the obvious "nerd" of the group.

Once again, Neal shrugged. "If the person was missing it, I can't imagine it would be in the shop, would it?"

"Maybe they deemed it too doom and gloom to keep in their house anymore," Ruby proposed her ideas. "I mean it is pretty dark. Kinda scary looking."

"I think it's fascinating," August piped up.

"Yes well you think everything is fascinating," Lacey teased him with a smile.

"True enough." He set the hourglass back down after flipping it over. Wordlessly, Neal put it back in his bag and the friends were easily onto a different topic.

Emma, however, was still stuck on the hourglass and she bit her lip in thought. _No one else noticed it,_ she thought to herself. _Maybe I'm just going crazy…lack of sleep…I have been staying up later than usual…that must be in…_

She tried to rationalize what she had seen—or rather, what she hadn't seen—in her head.

Because she swore that no matter how many times she or her friends had flipped that hourglass, not a single grain of sand moved from its place.


End file.
